Vivian's Morning Star

by Rachel Skatvold

  Lottie apologized again, saying they would have to end the luncheon early so the house could be cleaned after they had gone. However, the ladies wouldn’t hear of leaving without helping their host return her house to order. Working together, they had the house cleaned up and looking almost as good as new within half an hour.

  After some of the guests started to go, Vivian prepared to leave with Ella and bid her new friends a warm goodbye, giving Lottie a hug last. “Thank you for the luncheon and surprise baby shower. I had a wonderful time.”

  “Goats and all?”

  She chuckled at Lottie’s remark. “Yes, goats and all. I’ll have an exciting tale to tell Caroline when I arrive. I’m sure she’ll enjoy hearing about it immensely.”

  Lottie grinned. “I’m sure she will. I know I’ll see you tomorrow at church, but in case I forget to say it, please take care, dear friend, and write often when you arrive in Missouri.”

  “I will.” Vivian and Ella went outside and climbed into the waiting carriage. She let out a happy sigh as Lady Slipper Cottage faded from her view. She would be sad to leave in four days’ time, but at least she had some sweet homemade gifts and memories to take with her to Niangua.

  Chapter Six

  “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

  Proverbs 3:6 KJV

  Outskirts of Niangua, Missouri

  Early June, 1875

  Vivian loosened one button on the high-collared gown she wore and felt a tiny bit of relief. The weather was unseasonably hot that day and she had begun to wish she’d worn a simpler outfit. However, she chose her best olive-green bustled gown to look her best when meeting Micah.

  She pulled back the curtain in her coach, letting a bit of breeze cool her face. Then she watched the rapids of the Niangua River going by with the Ozark Mountains as a backdrop. It was a beautiful sight and she smiled with the realization it would be her home from now on. She would have plenty of time to draw the beautiful river in her sketchpad later.

  The hilly terrain was much different from the flatter layout of Minnesota, but it did make the two-day ride after departing from the train a little rough on her. For that reason, Vivian was grateful Ms. Milton had recommended she waited to travel until the worst part of her morning sickness had subsided. If she’d decided to go in late April or early May, she would have been miserable during most of the trip.

  She wiped a single tear, recalling her emotional goodbye with Ella at the train depot. They had grown close during her three-month stay at the farm and it was difficult to leave. However, they promised to write often and Vivian had drawn several portraits of the farm and town of Pelican Rapids in her sketchbook. Whenever she felt lonely for her temporary home and the wonderful friendships she’d made, Vivian could look back at her sketchpad and remember.

  As they drew close to the small town of Niangua, Vivian held her breath and refastened the top button at her collar, knowing she would soon meet her groom. Would she recognize him from the description he’d given in his letters? She knew their love wouldn’t come instantly, but she hoped they both felt a small spark of something at their first meeting.

  Dizziness swept over her as the driver guided the coach down the main street through the middle of town, revealing a livery, blacksmith, diner, and a few other various shops. When the coach stopped by the general store, she saw him—a tall handsome cowboy with high cheekbones and raven hair sticking out from underneath his hat. In an instant she knew he had to be Micah Russell.

  The world spun a little as she stood, but Vivian composed herself quickly. She gathered her handbag and smoothed her skirts before stepping down from the coach.

  Micah’s sky-blue eyes twinkled in the afternoon sun as he removed his hat and reached to take her hand in his. “It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Mrs. Vivian Kane.”

  She started to respond, but dizziness swept over her again. Vivian’s world seemed to tilt on its end and her knees went weak. In a daze, she felt Micah’s strong arms catch her fall.

  Micah had never felt such a rush of different emotions all at once. Vivian was a vision in her olive-green bustled gown with lace at the collar and wrists. When he saw her stepping off the coach, his heart was filled with joy and then panic when she fainted before his eyes. He lifted her limp body in his arms and rushed into the general store.

  Mrs. Clark, the store owner’s wife, looked at him with wide eyes. “Oh my! What’s happened?”

  Micah shook his head in bewilderment. “I’m not sure. This is Mrs. Kane. The woman I was courting through the agency. Is there somewhere she could lay down while I fetch the doctor?”

  She nodded. “Yes, she can rest in our guest bedroom. Please follow me.”

  He did as she asked and carried Vivian up a steep staircase to the Clark’s residence above the store. On the way, they ran into Mrs. Mill’s son, Joseph and asked him to run and fetch the doctor. When they reached the spare bedroom, he laid her on the bed.

  “I think it’s probably just heat exhaustion,” Mrs. Clark said while loosening Vivian’s collar and undoing her sleeves to roll them up. “These types of gowns can get hot quickly in the summer. There’s a closet across the hall with towels and a water basin in the kitchen. Can you gather those things for me? I need to cool her down.”

  He rushed off to do as she asked and returned a minute later. Mrs. Clark thanked him, soaked one of the towels in the cool water from the basin and started dabbing Vivian’s face and neck with it. “Do you think she’s going to be all right?” he asked, attempting to keep the tremor out of his voice.

  The woman nodded. “Yes, I believe so. She already feels cooler and her breathing is better, but the doctor will be able to tell you for sure. I’m going to head downstairs for a moment to see if he has arrived.”

  Micah nodded and watched Mrs. Clark leave. Then he knelt by the bed and carefully took Vivian’s delicate hand in his. He’d noticed her petite stature when she stepped off the coach, but now, laying in the bed, she seemed even smaller and fragile somehow.

  Memories of his family flooded his thoughts. The sickness had taken Mary Ann and his infant son so fast, he’d barely had time to fetch the doctor before they passed. He’d left for war a month later and it served as a distraction from his grief. Perhaps what he’d told Amy Riley about the pain being duller than before was a delusion. Perhaps he’d never really felt the loss fully. Now, seeing Vivian laying so helpless in the bed, the pain came down on him full force.

  “God, please don’t let anything happen to Vivian or the baby,” he prayed as a rogue tear dripped down his cheek. “I had thought this was your plan for a new beginning. I don’t see how taking them before we have even had the chance to make this marriage work could be a part of your plan. Please, heal her.”

  Micah had almost said amen when he felt Vivian’s fingers tighten around his. He looked up, relieved to see her lovely brown eyes were open, studying him with a confused expression.

  He let out a sigh of relief, the tension in his shoulders releasing in an instant. “We’re in the store owners’ home. You fainted.”

  Vivian put her free hand over her face. “I’m sorry. This is not how I pictured our first meeting.”

  He smiled and kissed the hand he still held, relieved to hear her sweet voice for the first time. “Think nothing of it. We’ll have many more opportunities to make special memories in the future.”

  A smile graced her lips. “I look forward to it.”

  Shortly after Vivian awakened, the doctor arrived. Micah stepped out while he examined her, acting as a perfect gentleman would since they were not yet married. She was relieved when the doctor said she’d just passed out from the heat and everything with the baby seemed fine.

  When he left her to rest, she couldn’t help remembering the tears running down Micah’s face when she opened her eyes. His concern for her wellbeing and sweet disposition after she awakened were endearing qualities, making her even more eager to spend time
getting to know him better in the coming days.

  After drinking plenty of water and changing into some cooler clothing from her trunk, she felt better and ready to travel the rest of the way to the Riley Farm. Micah was uncertain at first, but in the end, she convinced him she would be more comfortable settled in his friends’ guest room like they had planned.

  She felt his concerned gaze on her off and on throughout the half an hour journey. It was almost dusk when they arrived. Having wanted to see all the details of the farm, Vivian was disappointed, but resigned herself to waiting until morning for the grand tour. For now, she was content to be in a place where she could receive a good night’s rest.

  Chapter Seven

  “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.”

  Ephesians 4:2 NLT

  Vivian woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and ready to explore the Rileys’ farm. She turned toward the nightstand and smiled, seeing a vase full of fresh wildflowers. They filled the room with a sweet fragrance, delighting her senses.

  After readying herself for the day, she came down the stairs of the two-story farmhouse and was greeted with the smell of bacon, eggs and flapjacks. Her stomach growled, having not eaten very much the evening before.

  “Good morning,” Caroline greeted in a cheerful tone as she flipped one more steaming flapjack onto a plate while balancing a baby boy on her hip. “I hope you were able to rest well. I know how difficult it can be to adjust to a new place.”

  Vivian sat at the breakfast nook and nodded. “I think I slept like a rock, honestly. I was so exhausted.”

  “I bet you were. Riding on carriages for a long period of time can be rough as it is, not to mention the humidity here in Missouri. It can make you miserable sometimes. I almost fainted last summer while I was pregnant with Elliot. We’d decided to go on a little excursion to Springfield, but I became so hot and dizzy, I ended up resting inside our room at the inn while Emmett took the older children around to see the sights.”

  Vivian stared at the table for a moment, tracing the pattern on the floral tablecloth before peeking up at her host. “I’m sorry to hear that, but it is a relief to know I’m not the only one. I hope my fainting episode didn’t frighten Micah too much.”

  Caroline placed little Elliot in a highchair and then went back to collect the food from the counter. “He did seem quite concerned, but that’s only natural for a gentleman like Micah. I know the two of you have only written letters thus far during your courtship, but he already cares for you a great deal.”

  “Yes, I realized that yesterday. His caring attitude toward me, a woman he’d only just met, warmed my heart. I can already tell the type of man he is.”

  Caroline nodded with a grin while placing breakfast on the table. “He is one of the good ones, just like Emmett. There’s no denying that.”

  Vivian’s heart began to race, thinking of his kind blue eyes. “How early does he come here to work? I would like to speak to him soon…that is if Emmett is all right with him taking a short break.”

  “Oh, he doesn’t usually work on Saturdays, but he slept in the loft over the carpentry shop last night. He wanted to stay to make sure you were all right. The men and older children ate early. Thomas and Felicia are planning to go down to the river to fish.” She paused to chuckle. “Micah went with Emmett and little Will to work on some projects in the shop on their day off. You’ll find out soon enough, both of them are never idle. Micah said to let him know when you woke up. We can go meet them when we’re done with breakfast and I’ll give you the grand tour of the farm on the way out there too if you want.”

  “Yes, I’d like that very much.” She paused, remembering something. “Thank you for the wildflowers in my room. They are lovely.”

  Caroline grinned as she lifted a spoon of applesauce to feed Elliot. “Oh, I can’t take the credit for those. I just delivered them, per Micah’s request. He gathered them, saying he wanted you to see and smell something beautiful the moment you woke up this morning.”

  Vivian blushed with a wide grin, hearing of his kind gesture. “Well, I suppose we should pray over this delicious food and eat, so I can thank him in person.”

  After breakfast, Caroline showed Vivian a small cabin a short way from the farmhouse. “This is where we lived when I first married Emmett. He started building our house that next spring. We lived in tight quarters with his two adopted children and mother for a while. At times it was challenging, but looking back, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. It was the place where we became a family.”

  “Sounds like you made some special memories there.”

  Caroline nodded, smiling at the old cabin while switching Elliot to her other hip. “Yes, we did. My mother-in-law lives there now. It’s perfect because she’s close by, but we both have privacy. We love having her here, especially the children.”

  “It’s wonderful to have family close by.”

  She nodded. “Yes, it is. And to think, you’ll live a short distance up the road too, after you and Micah are wed. We’ll be like sisters.”

  Vivian smiled, struggling to hold back tears of joy. “I would love that. After my father died, Connor was all I had. Now I’ll have a big family to keep me company.”

  They shared a tearful hug, taking care to not crush little Elliot. Then they walked alongside the fencing separating them from the horses and cows in the pasture. Beyond that was a beautiful view of the mountains, trees and river. Soon they headed past the big house toward the two barns with a breezeway in the center connecting them. One had fencing with animals and the other had carving displays on the outside, telling her it had to be the carpentry shop. Caroline showed her the chickens, pigs and ducks. Then last, she led her to the goat pen, making Vivian giggle out loud. “You should ask your cousin Lottie about the mishaps with her goats when you write next. I’m sure she’ll have an interesting story to tell.”

  Caroline’s eyebrow raised in amusement. “I didn’t know Lottie had goats.”

  “Only recently. They purchased them from a friend,” Vivian explained. “But after what happened, they may have given them back. You’ll have to ask her.”

  Her new friend giggled. “All right. I will.”

  After looking at the animals, they headed into the carpentry shop. She saw Emmett first, working on a small wooden horse with his five-year-old son, Will. Then Micah stepped out from behind a wardrobe he’d been making a few finishing touches on.

  His eyes widened when he saw her. “Vivian, I thought you’d be resting in the house today.”

  She approached, offering him a warm smile. “I felt well-rested this morning and ready for some fresh air. Caroline was kind enough to give me a tour of the farm and it was the perfect weather for it. I have to say, I’m thankful for the cooler temperature this morning.”

  He nodded. “I am as well. Yesterday was typical of what one might expect in July or August.”

  She turned her head, studying all the wooden furniture around the shop. “This is amazing. How many pieces do you think you’ve helped make?”

  Micah shrugged with a shy grin. “I’ve lost count now. I’ve worked here since I was a young man…back when Emmett’s father, Don, owned the business.” He motioned toward the other end of the shop. “Would you like to come this way? I’d like to show you something.”

  She agreed and took Micah’s arm, allowing him to lead her down a long row of furniture. Soon they reached the other end of the shop to a group of items under a protective sheet. She watched him lift it off, revealing a beautiful, golden oak bedroom set. It included a wardrobe, vanity, dresser and nightstand. They were simple and compact, yet elegant. She ran her fingers over the smooth carved edge of the dresser with a smile. “The set is lovely…one of the finest I’ve ever seen. I’m sure whoever you made it for will be very pleased.”

  He leaned against the wardrobe, smiling at her. “They’re yours, Vivian. When y
ou wrote back, agreeing to our courtship, I started working on them right away.”

  She pulled her fingers away from the dresser’s glossy surface, eyes wide with surprise. “For me? Oh, Micah…are you certain? These would fetch quite a price and I’d hate to take away from your profits.”

  He approached, taking her hands in his, causing her heart to flutter wildly. “Think of them as an early wedding gift. I’ve been a bachelor for so long, I didn’t have anything suitable in the main level bedroom for a refined lady such as yourself. I want you to feel at home in the cabin after we are wed. Do you like them? I realize now, I should have asked what shade of wood you prefer.”

  Vivian gazed into his blue eyes, recognizing she already felt something between them. “I love them. It has to be the nicest gift anyone’s ever given me. Thank you.”

  “You’re very welcome.” He paused, glancing over his shoulder at Emmett and his family, preparing to close up shop and return to the house. “I’d enjoy spending some time alone with you today if you feel up to it. Would you like to have a picnic lunch near the river this afternoon?”

  A smile curved on her lips. “That sounds perfect.”

  Vivian carried a folded picnic quilt Caroline had lent her while following Micah down the path leading to the river. There was a nice breeze that afternoon and the trees provided enough shade to keep them cool. When the river came into view, Micah transferred the picnic basket to the crook of one arm and helped her navigate down a small ridge leading to a grassy plateau. She spread out the quilt on the ground for them to sit on and then Micah started unpacking their picnic lunch.